Calcitonin-like effects of forskolin and choleratoxin on surface area and motility of isolated rabbit osteoclasts.

We have previously found that the adenylate cyclase stimulators forskolin and choleratoxin increase cyclic AMP and transiently inhibit bone resorption in cultured mouse calvaria, suggesting that the compounds, directly or indirectly, may inhibit osteoclast activity. In the present study, forskolin and choleratoxin were investigated for their direct effects on surface area and motility of isolated rabbit osteoclasts, and the effects were compared to those of calcitonin (CT). Osteoclasts were cultured on coverslips for different times in the absence or presence of the compounds. The effect on osteoclast mean area was quantified on fixed and stained osteoclasts, and in addition effects were recorded with time-lapse cinemicrography. The effects of CT (100 mU/ml) on mean area and motility were seen within minutes and were maximal after 10-60 minutes. Forskolin (10-30 mumol/liter) produced a rapid (15-60 minutes) inhibition of motility and decrease in area (contraction) of osteoclasts. Choleratoxin (1 microgram/ml) treatment also resulted in cell contraction and inhibition of motility; however, the response was not seen before 45-60 minutes. The difference in the kinetics of the osteoclast response between forskolin, CT, and choleratoxin is similar to differences in time course for the effect on cyclic AMP in calvarial bones, which we reported earlier. Although cells were incubated continuously with forskolin, choleratoxin, or CT, the effects were transient. Thus, after 7-8 h incubation with CT, 3-4 h treatment with forskolin, or 4-6 h with choleratoxin, the osteoclasts started to recover from contraction and immotility. The effect of forskolin and choleratoxin on the mean surface area of osteoclasts was dose dependent. The present study shows that forskolin and choleratoxin have a direct inhibitory action on osteoclast activity and thus provide further evidence that cyclic AMP is a mediator of the action of CT on bone resorption.